Unexpected Meeting
by Skelakitty92
Summary: Hinata is being forced into a marriage she doesn't even watch! And when she starts to fall in love with the last remaining Uchiha, things start to get ugly. Contains SasuHina and other side pairings!
1. Chapter 1

A beautiful bouquet of flowers were being held tightly in a pair of small, delicate hands as they shook slightly. They were all so vibrant and colorful for such a gloomy day. The once blue sky had no disappeared behind a wall of dark grey clouds, as if threatening to open up and drench the entire village. At this point even the wind had picked up and was blowing the autumn leaves around, whirling about in the air before landing onto the ground. The days only continued to grow colder as winter neared around the corner. A shiver ran through the Hyuga's body, as she knelt down in front of the gravestone. It has been two years since the war that took many lives ended. Some bodies haven't even been found yet. Their loved ones were still out there trying to find them.

Everything was much more peaceful, now that all the five Kages got along, unlike before. Some say it's even boring now being a shinobi, because there aren't as many missions anymore. However, there are still rogue ninjas out there to be dealt with. They either don't approve of the newly-formed bond between the villages, or just don't like all of the new changes, and believe the shinobi world will only slip into another war. Some became hateful after the war, because they lost a loved one, or are all alone now because of it. No matter what...there will always be those who turn evil.

Pale-colored eyes saddened as her fingertips trailed along the engraved lettering. "Neji nii-san... Why did you leave me? Now that you're gone, father has changed... And for the worse." Her voice was quiet, but you could hear all of the hurt and fear in it. A few tears spilled over and ran down her pale cheeks. She just stared at the ring that now sat perfectly on her finger, wishing more than anything that it wasn't really there. Oh how she wanted to take it off and chuck it far, far away... Never to be seen again.

A sob ripped through her then as the flowers slipped out of her hands, falling onto the ground in front of her. From a distance, some may think she was merely crying over her cousin's death and nothing more. Yes she was sad about that, but... That's not what necessarily set her off. Right now she even felt like joining him in the afterlife. As if she wanted to be forced into doing something she didn't want to do. How was she supposed to live a happy life like that? It just didn't seem fair at all. A part of her wanted to stay here forever... To never go back to that place ever again, where her fiancé was always waiting for her.

Yes Hiashi decided on doing an arrange marriage for his daughter, since he wanted her pure Hyuga blood to be passed down to his grandchildren. In his eyes, no one outside of the clan was good enough for her. And now that he lost his nephew, who was first in line to take her hand in marriage, he resorted to someone who he didn't even know that well himself. And did he ask her first if this was what she wanted? Of course not. This guy didn't even propose to her. He just randomly showed up one day, calling himself her fiancé.

Hinata really didn't want to be stuck with someone who she didn't even love. What kind of marriage was that anyways? Not a very good one at that. Now every time she goes back to the compound, he welcomes her with a kiss that is forced onto her. Let's just say that he isn't exactly gentle. So when she says no and tries to push him away, he only tries even harder. In the end he always ends up winning. Not to mention he also has a nasty, possessive personality to go along with it all. And she's expected to bare this man's children? The very thought of it caused her to shudder.

"Why me? I don't like him. I... I can't take being around him. I don't feel safe with him!" She cried out, while hiding her face in her hands. This was just too much for her to handle. She felt like such an idiot for assuming her and her father were actually getting closer to each other. However, all of that progress had been destroyed when he decided to give his own daughter away to a complete stranger, without even getting her permission in all of this. She had absolutely no say in it at all. Even thinking about that man taking away her innocence made her feel sick to her stomach.

A loud boom of thunder caused the ground to rumble, which was then followed by a heavy flow of rain. Everything was soaked in a matter of seconds. Despite this, it still wasn't enough to make the Hyuga get back up and head on home. Long, violet-colored hair clung to the sides of her face as she stared down at the ground. This wasn't so bad. What was some water going to hurt? Her tears mixed in with the rain, masking all of the crying completely. She contemplated on leaving the clan, but...where would she go then? As if she wanted to impose on her friends and become an even bigger burden. No.. This is the life she was stuck with.

It was impossible to accept such a thing. She gripped tightly at her hand, just glaring hatefully at it. Even while trying to get away from it for a while, this ring was still a constant reminder of what was coming in the spring time. The invitations have already been sent out to everyone, and were thrilled to attend such a big and beautiful wedding. Already she had her kimono picked out as it sat all wrapped up in her closet. It was handmade by a close friend of her father's, and took a while to complete.

The sound of leaves could be heard crunching as footsteps neared her direction. Thinking it was her fiancé, she immediately tensed up and waited for that oh so dreadful voice to speak down on her. But...as the minutes ticked by and nothing happened, that's when she lifted her head up and looked around. And here she thought no one else would come here, especially in this type of weather. Her gaze landed on a figure that just stood there, staring down at two graves that were in front of them. Feeling curious, or rather...a bit nosy, she activated her Byakugan to read the names. But only the one sufficed, for the last name was enough for her.

The hood slipped back to reveal long, dark locks. They sat at his shoulders, no longer sticking out at the back. It has been two years since Sasuke set out to travel around the world. He wore a beige-colored poncho with a plain dark blue headband wrapped around his head. And there were even beaded necklaces hanging around his neck. It was hiding the arm he lost and never got back, meaning he must have had to change his fighting style a lot to only fight with one arm. His sword was still strapped around his body and hung on his back, as usual. Did anyone else know that he was back in Konoha?

Her eyes grew wide the longer she stared at him. Did he even notice her presence? Probably. But they have never even held a single conversation with each other. Hinata...knew nothing about him. Did he come back just to visit his parents? If so, then that was really sweet of him to do. Has he been coming here all along without anyone even noticing? It was hard to tell what he was really thinking, since the expression on his face was blank. There weren't even any tears in those dark, mysterious eyes of his. He did however, place a single rose on both of the graves. And she could have sworn she saw his lips moving. But then again, she could just be seeing things.

"If you have something to say, then speak up..." The Uchiha's deep voice stated, turning his head slightly to stare right back at her. This whole time he could feel her gaze on him. At first it didn't seem to bother him, but after a few minutes it just got annoying. He just came here to visit his deceased parents is all. Could he not do that in peace?

"...!" Hinata flinched a little upon being called out like that so suddenly. Was she really staring at him for that long? She didn't even realize it. Now he must really view her as a complete weirdo. Slowly standing up, she pushed her wet hair back. What was she supposed to say now? It was already awkward enough. What if she says something stupid? "I...I'm sorry. It's rude to stare, I know. B-but I just...didn't expect to see you here is all. You've been away from the village for a while..."

"...Hn." Sasuke knew exactly why the Hyuga was here. She was visiting her cousin who died during the war, while protecting both her and Naruto. Without him, she wouldn't even be here today. He noticed how red and puffy her eyes were, but said nothing about it. People normally grieve in a place like this... But not him. He never allowed his emotions to take over like that. His brother isn't buried here. There wasn't even a body to put in a casket anyways. It was gone... His parents were here though, and that was good enough for him.

"A-are you here to stay?" She asked, slowly approaching hm. Others may find him intimidating, but not her. Talking to the Uchiha might make her feel better. Or it might even make her feel worse. You won't know unless you try, right? His old team mates were going to be really happy if he was coming back. They still talk about him a lot, and have been waiting all of this time to see their best friend again.

That was a question he didn't know how to answer. Should he really come back and stay for good? There was still so much to see out there, and such little time to do it in. Exploring new places always gave him a sort of high, so why would he want to give all of that up, only to be strapped down to this one little area? "Probably not. My journey is far from over..." He finally stated.

This made her frown. Did he ever plan on coming back to his real home? It seemed so unlikely right now. "Sakura and Naruto-kun, they miss you..." Everyone knew that though. You could just tell they wanted him back here with them just like the old times.

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders. Why couldn't he just live life the way he wanted to, without having people constantly nagging at him? "They understand why I am doing this. And if they really have a problem with it, then oh well..." He muttered. Being alone was something he has gotten use to, up until the point where he actually preferred it this way. He found people to be way too bothersome.

Her frown only deepened while listening to this. "...Don't you ever get tired of being lonely?" Hinata curiously asked. If she were in his shoes, she would definitely cave after a while. He had people here waiting for him! How many years will he be gone this time for? It just didn't seem right is all... And she would probably never truly understand. "S-sorry. I know it's none of my business..." She mumbled, looking away.

A dark brow arched as he just stood there, looking at her strangely. Why was she trying to talk to someone like him? Someone as pure and innocent as her really shouldn't associate herself with him. What she said was true though. It really was none of her business. "I like being alone. People only get in my way and slow things down..." Plus it was always hard for him to put his trust in others. It took a lot to win him over, and once you did... You only got one chance to prove your loyalty to him. He's not the forgiving type of person, and never has been.

To her, that was a pretty sad way of looking at it. It's not every time that someone gets in your way, or slows you down. Sometimes you even need to rely on others to get through certain situations. You can't just push everyone away forever. "I'm sure someday you will need someone, Sasuke. Yes you are a very strong and highly skilled shinobi, but...you're not perfect. You make mistakes, and can't always learn things on your own..."

"...?" Sasuke only ever viewed one person as being 'perfect', and that was his older brother. Of course now he can see all of Itachi's flaws, and what he all did wrong... What he could have done to prevent all of this from happening. So she was right about no one being perfect. And he has definitely made plenty of mistakes in his life.

Hinata looked down at the graves before them. "Wouldn't your parents want you to be surrounded by friends? Or even...family?" That was her way of hinting around at marriage someday in the future. If he continues to isolate himself, then his clan really will die out with him. Was that really something he could so easily accept? "Everyone deserves to be happy, or to feel loved... Even you, Sasuke." She spoke quietly.

His eyes narrowed upon hearing such a ridiculous thing. "Happiness? Love? Those are also things I am not interested in..." He said, following her gaze. His parents were gone, so there really was no telling on what they wanted for him. It was an impossible thing to ask, since they obviously cannot give you an answer. So there really was no telling. His days of being 'happy' were long gone. That part of him has been buried for way too long, that it can't be dug back out.

That made her heart ache a little. Just a lonely, regretful person who planned on running away forever. "It's okay to be happy. It's something everyone is allowed to feel. Haven't you suffered enough as it is?" Although, she didn't even know the truth about Itachi, so her knowledge on Sasuke's pain and suffering was very little. She couldn't understand the decisions he made, unlike his old team mates. Only they truly understood him and no one else.

"...So because you're happy, that means you have to make everyone else do the same?" And with that, he pointed right at the ring that sat on her finger, noticing how big the diamond was. If that's what she was really trying to do, then that was really going to irritate him.

"Eh?" Her pale eyes followed his gaze and sighed. So that's what he is talking about! Just looking at it made her feel even worse. She shook her head, tugging at it a little. "It's...an arrange marriage my father set up. I'm actually not happy with this engagement..." She admitted. It's not like he had a big mouth, and was going to go around telling people of this. Even when they were little... He seemed like a rather trusting person.

Well that was something he never expected to hear. Who does arranged marriages anymore anyways? Her clan was probably the only people who still did such a thing. To think Hiashi would stoop so low as to just give away his own daughter like that. "Why are you going through with it then if you're so unhappy?" He asked.

Hinata smiled sadly to herself. "I don't get a say in this. If I refuse...then I will be shunned by my clan and kicked out. I don't have anywhere to go..." Not even he had a place here in Konoha. She never thought about it, but...where will he even stay if he does come back? Surely he must have a place already waiting for him.

"Hn..." Last thing he wanted to do, was to actually bring someone with him on his so called 'journey'. It won't be as fun and exciting then. No... This is something he needed to do on his own, like he has been doing for the past two years. What was he supposed to say to that anyways? He was terrible at comforting people and giving out advice.

"It can't be so bad...right?" She whispered almost too quietly for him to hear. The guy was rude and obnoxious. However, he was still a Hyuga, and she needed to continue the pure, strong blood of her clan. Here she was sprouting stuff about happiness... When she herself wasn't even happy at all with how her life was turning out.

Sasuke stared at her face for a long few seconds. He couldn't ever possibly understand what it's like to marry someone you don't even love. Well he just simply wouldn't go through with it anyways. "And you wonder why people call you weak. You never put your foot down and say no, so that gives everyone the right to walk all over you..."

Hinata tore her gaze away from him, feeling her body beginning to shake due to the cold. Her body was soaking wet as it continued to rain heavily. Her family was probably out looking for her right now. "When will you come back?" She asked, wanting to change the subject now. Also, she was just naturally curious is all.

"...Whenever I feel like it..." The Uchiha said, staring back down at his parents' graves. He didn't even like coming here to begin with. It made him feel things he didn't want to feel. But it really was necessary that he does this. Other wise he would only be racked with that much more guilt and regrets.

"I see..." The Hyuga whispered. That could be days, weeks, months...or even years! There was no telling when he would feel like coming back just to visit this one place here in Konoha. A bolt of lightening lit up the sky, which was then followed by more thunder. Was he even going to check in with his friends? It seemed very unlikely right now. She reached out to touch his back, but stopped herself. This was a man who didn't like to be touched.

"...Hn. It's pointless to worry over someone like me. Focus on your own life..." Sasuke said, before turning around and walking off. He didn't plan on staying this long anyways. He had places to see, and people to meet. Wasting his time here only irritated him. As if he needed another fangirl chasing after him, offering to have his Uchiha babies. Although...a baby with a Hyuga would be powerful indeed. Maybe even overly powerful! But that wasn't enough to make him stick around. He barely even knew this shy, quiet woman.

Hinata could only stand there and watch as he walked away from her. There was nothing she could do to stop him, even if she tried... It wouldn't really work. Will he really come back? And if so...when? Now she could say she has officially held a conversation with him. For some reason she wanted to know so much more about him, but didn't want to come off as being nosy or something. His life wasn't any of her business, and that was something she understood fully. But still... Her heart beat painfully in her chest just thinking about how lonely he was.

This is the type of person she was. For as long as she could remember, Hinata has always put others before herself. Even now when she was suffering the most, she seemed to be more worried for him, and what was going to happen to him. It was something she just couldn't help. It was because of her caring nature that she was this way to begin with. She craved for everyone else's happiness, even though she herself was far from feeling such a thing. Was there really something wrong with her for being this way? It sure felt like it.

Sighing in defeat, she began to trudge back home, her sandals covered in mud. It was probably going to storm like this throughout the night. Knowing what was waiting for her back at home, she began to feel depressed all over again. Her fiancé was going to be all up in her face with a million questions on where she has been, an what took her so long. Yeah...life wasn't going to be so great for her anymore. Not like it was amazing beforehand.

Can she really live this way...forever?


	2. Chapter 2

Today was a very special day! Everyone was gathering together at a nearby restaurant to celebrate Naruto's birthday. Since they were all of age, there was even a few bottles of sake lined up on one of the counters. One of them had already been opened as they impatiently awaited for the blonde's arrival. He had no idea what was going on, so it was supposed to be a surprise birthday party. So far he was already twenty minutes late! Where the heck was he? Surely he didn't get lost or distracted on his way over here. It was fairly close to his apartment complex, so it didn't take long to get here. Probably five minutes tops if he ran. Every single table was taken and filled as they all talked amongst themselves.

A much longer table packed with delicious looking food at on the other side of the room. It had homemade ramen, sushi, onigiri, rice balls, dango, miso coup, and much...much more. But the longer it sat out, the more cold it got. Hopefully the star of the party will show up soon, because Choji was about ready to eat his hand at any minute now! His stomach growled loudly as drool began to form at the corner of his mouth. And of course he kept on whining about how hungry he was. Just looking at the food was torture enough for the poor guy. Now he was definitely regretting leaving his bag of chips at home. They were the barbeque kind too, which is his all time favorite!

Kakashi had actually taken some time off from being the Hokage to attend this party. This use to be a student of his, after all. How could he miss such an important event? Even though everyone has gotten older and matured, they were all still the same in a way. Like how he still carried around those novels of his. You'd think a person would eventually grow tired of such a thing, but not him. And knowing the pervert he is...he'll probably never give it up. He enjoys reading those a bit too much, especially for his age. To think he still wasn't in a relationship. He should be a pro at them by now!

Sakura managed to leave the hospital long enough to join in on all of this as well. Actually, she was the one who planned most of this. It wasn't exactly cheap to rent out an entire restaurant for the day. Not to mention it wasn't easy planning all of this, and getting everyone together. Thankfully this worked perfectly around everyone's schedules. Now this doesn't happen very often, since they have not only aged a bit, but were also busier as well. Whether it was going on missions, or going on a date, or simply hanging out with friends or family... It was just a hard thing to accomplish.

At the very corner of the restaurant sat Hinata and her fiancé, Hiroshi. It was a real shame that he had to tag along, which meant now she wouldn't be able to have as much fun. Apparently he didn't trust this guy one bit, after finding out about her feelings towards him. It just didn't feel right leaving those two alone. His fingers tapped impatiently on the table, as he waited for this so called 'party' to start. His lovely wife-to-be just sat there looking all bummed... And it didn't bother him one bit. They weren't going to stay long anyways. He was still irritated that she had to go and buy a gift for the guy. Only he should receive gifts from her!

Truth was... Hinata didn't go out and buy the gift. She actually made it herself! It was an orange scarf that she knitted herself. It took a while to finish, but she managed to finish it on time. Her feelings weren't going to change over night, just because she was engaged now. And if she has to deal with a jealous husband for the rest of her life, then it really will drive her insane! Even when she felt his hand trailing up her thigh underneath the table, she had to scoot further away from him. They were in a public place for crying out loud! Does he have no control whatsoever?

Just then the front door swung open, and everyone quickly shouted: "Surprise!" But as soon as they saw who it really was, they all fell silent and sat back down in their chairs. Not only was it someone other than Naruto himself, but rather...his rival and best friend, Uchiha Sasuke. His cheeks were a little red due to the cold wind hitting against his face, but that didn't seem to bother him as he walked over to sit at a random table. He expected this kind of reaction out of everyone, since he hasn't seen all of these people in two years. Still...he remained as silent as ever.

Attending this party was important to Naruto, and he understood that. Although once this gets started, everyone was going to probably gather around and pester him with a lot of questions... And oh was he bracing himself for that to happen. Last time he was spotted here in Konoha about a month ago, he bumped into someone who he had never talked to before. Even she of all people was all up in his business and being just as nosy as all the others. By now he was pretty much use to it though. His dark gaze wandered about the crowded room as he just sat there, not even bothering to associate himself with anyone.

The sand siblings and even Killer Bee were here too! So it was sort of strange at first for Shikamaru to be sitting at their table, especially since they were teasing the shit out of him. Well...it was mainly Kankuro who was doing it, since his sister and a Konoha-nin have basically hooked up and became a couple as of recently. At first he didn't approve of it, since they both lived so far away, but...he could just see how much they liked each other... And it wouldn't be fair to try and keep them separated. Gaara hasn't expressed his feelings or opinion on the matter, but it was obvious that he approved of it. As long as everyone was happy, then that's what truly mattered...right?

"Why don't you ever paint a portrait of me?" Ino asked, as her lips slowly formed into a pout. Her boyfriend made one for this knucklehead's birthday, as it sat all wrapped up on the table with all the other gifts. Suppose she needs to pose in something sexy though. Well she definitely had some...revealing lingerie, that's for sure. But she wouldn't want him to show anyone else of her sitting there with barely anything on, practically naked in a way. But for his eyes only, she would do it in a heartbeat. Her long, blonde hair pooled on the chair behind her, as she now wore it down for the most part. However, it did get in the way a lot.

The door opened yet again, as the right person walked on in. He was confused as to why he had to come here, and so early at that. Yeah he kind of forgot about his own birthday. But just as Naruto took a good look at everyone, they all began shouting surprise at him. His bright blue eyes widened in shock at first. They were all here...for him?! A huge, goofy grin appeared on his face then, as he rubbed the back of his head. Never has he seen such a huge party being thrown for him of all people. Last year he was actually on a mission during this day, which is probably why they didn't do this for him then. Everyone really was busy all the time doing their own thing.

As soon as he saw his best friend though, Naruto went right over to him and slapped a hand against his back. "Even you made it, huh?" He asked. And whoa, his hair has gotten even longer since the last time they have seen each other, whereas his own was much shorter. This way he didn't look like a clone of his father, had he actually grown it out as well. He was his own person!

The Uchiha just looked at him and nodded. "I had nothing else going on today..." He said. In all honesty, he hated parties with a passion. But for this idiot right here, he would suffer a couple of hours of it just to make him happy.

Naruto stuff his hands into the pockets of his jacket and looked around some more. "Neh, did you get me a gift too?" He asked.

Sasuke scoffed, smirking a little. "Hn. Keep dreaming..." Actually he did get him something. All he needs to do, is read the tags before ripping apart at the wrapping paper.

This made him pout though, as he took him a bit too seriously. "Aww! You're so mean to me, you bastard..." He mumbled. Well at least he came all this way to celebrate his birthday, so he couldn't be too greedy when it came to him.

"..." Hinata slowly stood up from her seat and walked over to him, holding her gift out as a light blush dusted her pale cheeks. "H-happy birthday, Naruto-kun..." It was obvious by now that he didn't hold any feelings for her. That he only viewed her as a close friend and nothing more... That was okay though. As long as they remained being friends, then that was good enough for her.

"Even Hinata got me something?" The blonde smiled, taking it in his hands and immediately unwrapping it. And as he pulled the bright orange scarf out, he wrapped it around his neck. It was pretty warm and soft. "This is so cool. Thanks a bunch!"

"Y-you're welcome..." She said, shyly looking away from him now. If only she could hold a conversation with him! This was so pathetic of her. And here she thought things had changed between them. Looks like it wasn't by much then.

"..." Sasuke however, had been staring at the timid Hyuga this entire time. Does she seriously still love someone who will never feel the same way towards her? How sad... She's getting married anyways, so she will soon lose interest in him. And speaking of that, he saw another Hyuga just sitting there, watching the two. Was that her fiancé? He looked rather...upset. This would be the perfect opportunity to fuck with him. H ewas bored anyways, so why not?

He stood up and grabbed a strand of the soft, violet-colored hair, and let it slip between his fingers. "Did you make him that scarf?" He asked, those dark eyes just staring deeply into much lighter ones.

"...!" For some reason her heart jumped a little when he did this. Why was it so impossible to tear her gaze away from his? And as she opened her mouth to say something, nothing came out. So she simply nodded her head in response to his question. Why was he so close to her right now? And the way he was touching her hair. It was so...gentle.

Sasuke leaned in to sniff the strand of hair, taking in the floral scent of it. What was that, lilacs? By now their faces were merely inches apart. "What, got nothing to say? You sure talked my ear off the last time we met up..." He could tell the other women were getting jealous of this, but didn't care in the slightest. He wasn't here to please any of them.

His hair had shifted a bit, now revealing his Rinnegan eyeball. The purple color was almost mesmerizing in a way, as she gulped. No wonder he always tries to keep that thing covered. Her mind was still blank as she tried to think of something to say. "..."

"Hn. Don't tell me you've changed your mind, and don't actually want me to come back..." And just like that, his signature smirk was showing. He knew how much of an effect it had on people, especially women. Which is why he felt highly amused as he just watched her face become even redder than before. Oh how entertaining this was. Come to think of it, this was the only one who has never been interested in him. She was different than all the others... And he liked it.

However, this good mood of his was interrupted by his hand being smacked away. His gaze shifted to meet with another pair of Byakugan eyes, which were activated and just glaring right into his own eyes. That's when he decided to show him his own lovely Sharingan. "Is there a problem?" He asked.

The brunette got in front of Hinata, as if shielding her from something, or rather...someone. "Yeah. You're getting too close and personal with my fiancé here..." He grumbled.

"H-Hiroshi please!" She didn't want a fight to break loose between these two. Now that would be pretty bad. The entire restaurant would only get destroyed in the process.

Sasuke's smirk still remained. "What? It's just hair. Don't you find long hair on women to be...attractive?" He said, reaching out to touch the violet locks again. Everyone knew this was something he has always been interested in. It's because his mother's was the most prettiest, and it reached well past her shoulders.

Hiroshi twitched as he didn't waste any time in yanking his hand away again. This guy was messing with him on purpose! "Don't you ever touch her. I forbid her from talking to you! You...you traitor!" He shouted a bit too loudly.

"..." The room fell completely silent as everyone turned to look at them now. Before it was pretty easy to tune them out, but not anymore. This was getting out of hand way too quickly, and it needed to be stopped before it was too late! Which is why Naruto got between the two, chuckling nervously. No need for this party of his to be ruined so soon. And to think, he just got here too! He had heard that she got engaged, and even received an invitation as well. But...he didn't know the story behind it.

"Hey, no fighting okay? Let's just sit back down and relax..." He said, urging a small smile at them. As if he wanted anyone to be kicked out of the restaurant. He then turned his gaze to the Uchiha, and huffed out in frustration. "Could you not play these games during my party? You're upsetting people..." He muttered.

Sasuke scoffed at that one and rolled his eyes. "I'm just having fun..." He stated rather bluntly. No, he didn't see anything wrong with what he was doing. At least not yet that is.

"..." Naruto smacked the palm of his hand against his own forehead, and sighed heavily. Really, must he always be this way? "Well go have fun with someone else. There's a room full of people here, and women just dying to talk to you..."

Well he didn't want to start a conversation with just any one of those annoying fangirls of his. No...this Hyuga intrigued him greatly. "I came back to this hell hole for your party, and yet you're trying to shove me away. Ouch..." He muttered, reaching out to flick the blonde's nose. Not that his feelings were hurt or anything. But it did take a lot for him to actually come here and stay for a while. And since he really didn't have a home in this village, he was currently renting out a room at a nearby inn. It wasn't the best, but oh well. It was better than nothing.

"...Tch. Come on, Hinata! I don't want you associating yourself with him." Hiroshi's voice was sharp, indicating that he wasn't going to tell her a second time. And before he allowed her to even say one word, he was already pulling her back over to their table. No way was he going to have competition for someone who was already promised to him!

Hinata frowned deeply when he put his hands onto her shoulders and pushed her down, literally forcing her back in the seat she dreaded so much. This table was so far away from everyone else, that it wasn't even possible to enjoy the party. Why did sh eeven bother coming if this was how it was going to be? If only she could have gone alone. Maybe then this would be a whole lot more exciting for her. Now there was no one else to talk to. Sasuke was right... She really is weak, and pathetic. Someone who has never, not once, said no and put her foot down.

She gazed at the raven then. Why did she have this strong urge to go back and start a conversation with him? So many questions swam in her mind that she wanted to ask him, but held off on doing so, since that would annoy the heck out of him. The way he touched her hair though... Who knew someone like him could be so gentle? This man didn't have a dark heart, in which made him all murderous and evil. It's only because of his tragic, traumatic past that he turned out a bit...messed up in the head.

It's not like Sasuke has always been this way anyways. Everyone remembers the happy part of him, who laughed and smiled a lot. And somewhere deep down inside of that cold, stubborn attitude of his...that side to him still exists. It was just a lot harder to draw it out is all. What did his laughter sound like? What...was his smile even like? Something so small and simple was probably amazing! There was no doubting his good looks. He is definitely a very attractive young man.

Hinata watched as he ran a hand through those dark locks of his, exposing both eyes as his hair was pushed back in the process. Oh what powers and abilities those held. It was isane... "..."

Hiroshi snapped his fingers in front of her face, growing even more irritated at this point. "Maybe it's time for us to go home..." He muttered flatly. His mood had been completely been destroyed, so he didn't even want to stay here anymore.

"B-but the party just started. And Naruto-kun hasn't opened the rest of his gifts yet, or cut into his cake!" No, she didn't want to leave yet, it was too soon! Feeling tears well up in her eyes, she stood up and rushed out of the building as fast as she could. So now she couldn't even have any friends? Did she have to give him all of her free time? He didn't even want her to be a shinobi anymore. Since becoming engaged to Hiroshi, she hasn't gone on a mission. And the last time he caught her sneaking out to train, he got up in her face and started yelling.

Sasuke couldn't stand people like her, who just about let anyone walk over them and control their life. That was not a healthy relationship right there... And that irritated hi. Her fiancé wasn't acting like a man at all, but a jealous coward who didn't want to share his most prized possession. His eyes narrowed when he ran after her, trying to catch up. Right away his stay here in Konoha was...eventful. He did wonder what was going to happen between those two. "..."

Naruto groaned loudly. This party wasn't turning out to be so great. "Lovely! An argument broke loose, and caused people to up and leave. I need a drink..." He said, before going over to pour himself some sake. Yeah, this is definitely something that he needed. He only hoped that everything was alright with the Hyuga. She looked pretty upset running out of here like that. He just wished his best friend had picked on someone else for his strange enjoyment.

"So...can we have cake now?" Choji asked, cutting through the awkward silence. It wasn't a surprise that he would want dessert first, which is why Ino tugged on his ear.

"Must food always be on your mind?" The blonde sighed. Only he would think of something like that in a situation like this. She too, only hoped that Hinata would be alright. She was one of a very few people who could see just how unhappy she really was.

Sasuke could feel all the tension in the air and wanted to leave, already feeling fed up with this party. It's not his fault that she's with such a possessive person. But then again...it's not her fault either. Maybe he did go too far just to get a few kicks. What did she ever do to him? Absolutely nothing. If he feels like it, then maybe he will apologize the next time he sees her. Or maybe, he should just leave first thing in the morning tomorrow. That way he won't fuck up anything else. If only she would stick up for herself... Then he would respect her a lot more. But he didn't exactly acknowledge those he viewed as being 'weak'.

He himself, even till this day, strived to become much stronger than he already was. No shinobi should ever give up so easily, just because her clan says so. And wasn't that also her motto? To never give up, just like Naruto? It was strange how she would up and throw all of that out the window. She would rather marry a creep, then to stand her ground and do what's best for her. If he was so annoyed, then what was this feeling just eating away at him? No, it wasn't possible for him to feel bad over something so ridiculous. But...the longer he sat there thinking about it, the stronger this feeling became. And it was one he knew all too well.

Regret.


	3. Chapter 3

Things between the engaged couple were not so great that night when they got back to the compound. Every time Hiroshi tried to speak, he would only get shut out by his precious fiancé, who would then in return get scolded by her father for acting so poorly towards the man who loves her more than anything. Apparently only his feelings matter, and not his own daughter's. That right there is what drove her over the edge, and actually caused her to lock herself in the bedroom. At least in there she would have some peace and quiet for a while. Luckily she never had to give him a key to her bedroom, so she was safe in here. This is where she always goes whenever she feels like shutting herself out from the world, and just...wants to be left completely alone. It was better than having to put up with that...that _disgusting_ man! No part of her body was going to be groped or molested by his dirty hands either.

This is where Hinata remained for the rest of the night, since she wound up falling asleep due to sheer exhaustion. What else would you expect out of someone who was crying their eyes out for hours? People like to throw it in her face on how sensitive she was, and that she needed to stop acting like such a big baby all the time. Multiple people have already told her to grow up already... That she will be a married woman, and soon a mother! So she needed to become a better role model to her very own children. That was the last thing she wanted to think about though. What is she, seventeen?! Why can't she at least live her life first before settling down with a baby? Because once she does, she won't even be able to stay a shinobi anymore. All of her time will be eaten up on raising and taking care of that baby. Not to mention she won't be able to train during her pregnancy either.

She wasn't a baby machine! But Hiroshi likes to think otherwise. He's already excited to start a family with her. Figures he'd be ready, since he's so much older than her. Technically she wasn't even legally an adult yet. Not even old enough to drink alcohol! And yet she has to get married here soon, and then have babies with a man who just wants her for her body. How fair was that? Being a mother was hard work, and you should always prepare yourself for that first. You should only have a baby when _you_ are ready, not your husband. It's not his body who has to go through all of that hell after all. Not saying she wouldn't love her own child. Being the loving, caring, and gentle person that she is, of course Hinata would love any baby she carried, despite who the father was.

It's not like it would be the baby's fault. It would be completely innocent. There was still so much more she wanted to do, and now it was all going to be thrown down the drain. A wife and mother...while her friends and team mates are out going on missions and having fun with their lives. But no one could help her out now. It was far too late, since everyone has accepted the wedding invitations that her father sent out. And the thing is, is that they know how miserable she is! They all know how badly she wants to get out of this arranged marriage, and yet...no one was standing up for her. No one even offered to protect her. Was that too much to ask for? Especially Kiba and Shino of all people. Those two should definitely be knocking down that door and taking her with them. But no...they were probably out on a mission right now, having the time of their lives.

That following morning, the sun shone brightly through the Hyuga's bedroom. Usually she was a morning person and got up earlier than everyone else here. But since she stayed up so late crying her heart out, she still felt pretty tired and wanted to sleep in longer. As she opened her eyes a little to see what time it was, she let out a long and heavy sigh. Yet again, if she doesn't get out of this bed soon, then people will start pounding on her door, trying to get in. Just thinking about it made her body tense up slightly. As if she wanted any of them in her face right now. Today was going to be another long and drama-filled day, which is why she took her time in sitting up and rubbing at her eyes, trying her best to wake up some more. If only she could get some more sleep! Might as well enjoy getting the bed to herself while she can, because once she's married, that's going to go right out the window.

And speaking of windows, hers was wide open. It was strange, because it was shut all the way when she went to sleep last night. Being the type of person who gets cold fairly easy, Hinata had to sleep with multiple blankets... So of course she wasn't going to keep her window open, so that the cool air can get in. Maybe she just forget, what with everything that was going on and all. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed, she slowly got to her feet and shuffled across the room. Even the breeze coming in through it caused her to shiver a bit. Well, at least it looked very beautiful outside. That was a huge plus right there! It helped calm her nerves, just watching as a few birds gathered together in a circle while trying to find food, just pecking away at the ground with their beaks. If she could, she would own some animals herself. A dog...maybe a cat. But her father never allowed for such a thing.

As she bent over to get a better look out the window, that's when her hair fell forward so that it was in plain sight. Normally it would hand in long locks down past her breasts whenever this would happen, but today it wasn't even close to that length. No...it was much shorter! Pale eyes widened, as she quickly reached up to touch her hair, running her fingers through it. Although when the strands slipped through her fingers all too quickly, that's when she realized it had been cut. Whirling around to look back at her bed, that's when she saw a pile of lavender-colored locks all over her pillow. "W-what the..." She trailed off, slowly walking over to grab a handful of them. Her hands shook slightly as she just stared at them for a good few minutes, feeling utterly shocked at what was happening right now.

Someone had broken into her room and chopped off most of her hair! This was very unsettling, as fresh tears pooled in her eyes. It didn't even take her long at all to figure out who had done it. But...why?! To think he would stoop so low, as to cut something very precious to her. It took so long to grow it out that long, and now it was...gone. Oh how angry she felt right now. Usually she wasn't one to rage or snap at someone, but that was about to change. How dare he do this to her! What did she ever do, to deserve such treatment from him? Was this punishment for not listening to him yesterday and running off? For locking herself away into her bedroom for the rest of the night, all the while ignoring him completely? It probably was, knowing him and how petty he is. This just wasn't right at all...

Hinata threw on a pair of black sweat pants, and a dark purple tank-top, running a comb through her shoulder-length hair. Yeah, it looked all choppy and was going to have to get fixed. Looks like she'll have to head down to the barber shop. Hopefully they can salvage what's left of it. Letting out a frustrated sigh, she tried her best to throw it up into a ponytail. At least like this you won't be able to tell just how bad it looks. This also made her feel sad in a way, because she viewed herself as being a lot less attractive with shorter hair. Once that was done and taken care of, she swung her bedroom door open and walked out, going straight into the kitchen. Usually whenever she makes breakfast, it makes the entire compound smell absolutely delicious! But today there wasn't anything. Can these people really not make themselves something to eat? Must they always rely on her to cook all the meals every single day?

Cooking is something that she was very passionate about. Having other people eat the food she made, and then to hear their compliments on her was always the highlight of her day. Especially if it was made for someone important, like her friends or family. But to be forced into doing this was just not fun at all. As she stepped into the kitchen, that's when she saw her fiancé sitting at the table, tapping away on it with his fingers very impatiently. That's when her blood began to boil just looking at him, her hands clenching into tight fists as she tried to remain calm. Of course he had to be the first person to see this early in the morning. What was he doing, waiting for her to wake up and feed him? It wouldn't surprise her if he literally wanted her to spoon-feed him all of his meals, since he's that dependent on her. That's where she will draw the line. He wasn't a baby!

Hiroshi turned his head and blinked, slamming both of his hands onto the table as he stood up. "Finally! I've only been sitting here for an hour you know. Why aren't you in here making me my breakfast? You know how important it is to have a fulfilling meal before heading out for a mission. It's not right to keep your soon-to-be husband waiting. So un-lady like..." He scoffed, shaking his head in disappointment.

"E-excuse me?" Hinata was in pure shock at how he was speaking to her right now... As if she owed him something. He didn't deserve a single thing from her! Especially with that rude attitude of his. Her eyes narrowed slightly while continuing to stare at him. Although with that look on her face, it was more of a _glare_ if anything.

He crossed his arms and nodded. "It's time to move on already, Hinata. No wife of mine will be so neglectful towards my needs, you got it? I expect a freshly made breakfast when I wake up, and a hot meal whenever I come home. And make sure to run a bath for me as well. I shouldn't have to prepare these things for myself when I have you to do them for me..." His tone was a tad bit harsh when saying these things. At this point he didn't even care if they hurt his fiancé. She threw him over the edge when she decided to avoid him the entire night. Like he was going to sit back and allow her to do such a thing without paying the consequences.

"W-why must you be so demanding? You could treat your wife with some more respect..." She mumbled. Hiroshi was going to get nowhere in life, being so cruel towards people. A simple "thank you" or "please" goes a long way. How has he not realized this by now? Seriously, does he treat all women like this? Like they were here only to please men and give them what they want, whenever they want it? If that was the case, then her life has become ten times worse than it already was. But she wasn't going to stop at that. There was still more to say that was on her mind.

"You broke into my bedroom during the night and cut off my hair! What would possess you into doing such a terrible thing? Y-you know how much I loved my long hair. How could you?!" Her voice got much louder now, as she was practically shouting at him. It echoed throughout the kitchen rather loudly, leaving a long silence between them as he just blankly stared at her in response to what she had just said. This made her body twitch with irritation.

He simply rolled his eyes at that. "Are you _that_ slow? Come on baby, we both know why I did it." Pausing in his sentence, Hiroshi made his way on over to her and stopped before her, reaching out to touch the soft locks that stuck out from her ponytail. His gaze darkened then, as he grabbed a hold of it and yanked her head towards him, crushing his lips against hers. Even when he felt her struggling to break free from the kiss, he only kept a strong hold of her, making sure she couldn't pull away. Oh how he loved the taste of these lips of hers. So soft, and sweet. He couldn't get enough of them! His arm wound around her waist, keeping her close to his body as he pulled away finally to speak.

"That filthy Uchiha touched it during that pathetic party. Only I can touch you!" He yelled right in her face. All of a sudden he was becoming more cruel...and violent. What was he going to do next, start hitting her and pushing her around? Will she have to think about hiding bruises on her body after this? Will he...be this verbally, or even physically abusive towards their future children? If that's the case, then she cannot allow this marriage to play out. She will not allow him to lay a finger on any baby of hers! Placing both of her hands onto his chest, she shoved away from him as roughly as she could, and took a few steps back to distance herself from him.

Was he implying that it was Sasuke's fault that her hair got chopped off? "I could have taken a shower if it disgusted you that much! A-anything but this..." Fresh tears spilled over and ran down her face. It was impossible to control her emotions right now, since she was hurting so badly. Because another guy touched her hair, she had to get it chopped off. What's going to happen if she gets touched on a different part of her body? She didn't even want to think about that possibility! It honestly made her feel sick to her stomach. No...she needed to get away from here. She couldn't stand to even look at this monster that stood before her! She felt bile rise in her throat, and she tried so desperately to keep it down. Where was her father?! Her sister?! No one was even here to witness any of this.

Hiashi wasn't going to believe any of this. If so, then he will only turn a blind eye to it and just act like it was no big deal. Yes she has had short hair before, but that was in the past. "Y-you disgust me. If anything, _your_ hands are filthy!" She shot right back at him. "How dare you sit here and treat me this way, and speak to me as if I'm your slave! I deserve better than this. I did nothing to be treated in such a horrible way!" Fearing that he would turn on her for this, she whirled around and ran out of the kitchen, going right over to the front door, where she then slipped her sandals on. Grabbing her purse and hoodie, she then booked it out of the compound. Well she did need to get her hair fixed up anyways.

Hardly anyone was out, as most people were probably still asleep in their beds, or enjoying breakfast with their families. That was something she wanted so desperately to do...but with only her father and little sister. Right now she felt so alone, and didn't know what to do anymore. Maybe Sasuke was right... Maybe she really was weak after all. Yes she put her foot down this time, but she still hadn't called off the wedding. There was nowhere for her to go if she were to get kicked out of the clan. Unless she burdens one of her team mates that is. Both of their families absolutely adored her! But it still wouldn't feel right though. She can't just live with one of her team mates forever! They needed to find their own happiness, and she would only hold them back from it.

Walking along the streets of Konoha, Hinata tried her best to remain as invisible as possible. At the moment she felt so... _hideous_. Once a beautiful woman, and now just a used and abused, pathetic accuse of a shinobi. No wonder she was viewed as a disgrace to her clan for most of her life. What has she accomplished? It's not like she wanted to fight to begin with. Hurting and killing people just wasn't her cup of tea. But in her clan, you needed to become as strong as possible, or else you were basically shunned and cast aside. Even though she has been mistreated by her clan members for so long...she still wanted to be with her family. Her father may be very strict and mean towards her at times, but she still loved him. And it's not like her little sister can do anything, since she's too young to stand up to everyone else. If Neji were here, he would have gladly stepped in.

But then again, if he was alive, she would be marrying him instead.

Other people may find that to be disgusting, marrying your own cousin. But in certain clans that's what they did! Members hooked up with each other and had children with them, wanting to pass off the purest of their clan's blood as much as possible. Could you blame them? At this point, she honestly wouldn't care about marrying her cousin. At least Neji was gentle with her, and treated her with the respect that she deserved! Sure they have had their differences, argued, and even fought to the point where it nearly killed her...but everything changed after the chunin exams. He became a much better, humble person who was very sweet and protective of her. Oh how she missed him...

"Hinata?" She heard a voice call out to her. Judging by the tone of the person's voice, it belonged to a woman. Since they knew her name, she decided to stop walking and turned around to face them. When her eyes locked onto a pair of emerald green ones, that's when she realized who it was. Was she heading towards the hospital to start work? If so, then that was pretty early to be working on patients. But then again, she's probably use to it by now. And she's not one to talk either, since she's up this early and walking around aimlessly.

Sakura placed a hand onto her hip, raising a pink brow at the Hyuga as they stared at each other. "...Is something wrong? You don't look so good..." That's when yesterday's events popped up into her mind, and she immediately regretted asking such a stupid question. Of course something was wrong!

"Ah, it's nothing..." She mumbled, reaching up to nervously play at the small ponytail that stuck out from the back of her head. Well this was very unexpected! Her gaze fell down to the ground, as she just blankly stared at nothing. What was she supposed to say now?

"...?" Well that was odd. The pinkette took a few steps towards her, and then suddenly peered over to look where her hand was. But when she saw what she was grasping onto, her eyes widened in shock. _'What happened to her hair?'_ She thought. You could even tell that it had been done roughly with a blade. Did she do this to herself? Or...did someone else do it? Whichever one it was, she had a strange feeling about it.

Hinata backed away a little, noticing how close she had gotten. "I-I wanted to try something knew." She lied. Oh it was very obvious that she was lying. She always has been a terrible liar. It just wasn't in her nature, since she's so sweet and innocent.

Sakura looked at her suspiciously then, and shook her head. "I'm not stupid, Hinata. What really happened? You know you can talk to me..." But before she gave her the chance to respond to that, she grabbed onto her hand and pulled her out of the middle of the street, and into a much more quieter place, where no one else was around. "You look drained. Did you not get enough sleep last night?" They haven't talked to each other much, but she still worries about her. They were pretty much friends if you thought about it. It's not like they were rivals or something like that.

Pale eyes shifted back up to look at her. This was one person who she could trust. And she did need something to vent to. But that didn't make it any easier for her to open up to the medical-nin. This is something that she has always struggled with, and that wasn't going to just up and change over night. So instead of saying something right away, she reached back to pull the binder from her hair, letting it fall down to rest at her shoulders. But even at this length, there were still shorter strands than this, which meant it would have to rest above her shoulders, rather than on top of them. "..."

"H-Hinata..." She was left feeling speechless. Yup, someone else did this to her. A frown spread on her lips as she felt her heart sink. She was on her way to the hospital when she spotted the Hyuga, and wondered what she was up to. But maybe she just wanted to be left alone right now... And here she was, pestering her. Reaching into her back pouch, she pulled a kunai out of it. _'I have been in a similar situation, back when I had to cut off my own hair in order to save my team mates. But she didn't do this to herself, so this is different...'_

"I'm okay..." But even as she said this, tears pooled in her eyes as they threatened to spill over. Hasn't she done enough crying for one day? This is the last thing she wanted, especially in front of someone else who was viewed as being one of the strongest shinobi here in Konoha! Well okay, to be fair Sakura use to cry and whine a lot...but she has changed over the past few years. "I was going in to get it fixed up. I-I'm sure they can do something to help salvage what is left of it..." She tried to urge a small smile while saying that, but it failed miserably when she felt something went running down her cheeks. A gasp escaped from her when this happened, and she quickly turned away from her, hiding her face in her hands.

"Hey..." Sakura wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "It'll be okay. I can fix this up for you and give you a beautiful new hairstyle. How does that sound?" Back when her long hair was cut off, her own best friend cut away at the uneven ends and made it look so much better. Why not return the favor by doing it to someone else? This way Hinata won't have to pay someone to do it for her. Plus she won't be put in that awkward, uncomfortable position of having to explain herself on what had happened to herself.

"You...w-would really do that? For me?" It shouldn't be that much of a surprise to her, since the pinkette has always been very friendly towards her, and has helped her out so much! Never has she had a problem with her. So why shouldn't she take her up on that offer? It would actually make her feel so much better, rather than having to depend on someone else who will want to try and pry into her business. Like she wants to sit here and explain to everyone on what happened to her!

The medical-nin didn't hesitate to nod. "Here..." She got behind Hinata and began cutting away at the chopped up ends. It was definitely going to be above her shoulders, there was no denying that. However, it wasn't going to look bad on her at all. Well she did use to have it a lot shorter than this anyways, and she pulled it off pretty good. Actually, she was a cute little girl who blushed a lot and fidgeted with her fingers. Now she was beginning to grow out of that habit, after having found so much more confidence. It was all thanks to Naruto that she has come so far. _'Does she still love him? I feel so bad for her. That idiot hasn't even talked to her about that confession...'_

Knowing her, she probably did hold feelings towards the blonde. Whether it was as strong as before was a mystery. It's not like she talks about him all the time to her, so she of all people wouldn't know. But she was still being shy around him yesterday at his birthday party, so maybe him ignoring her must not have had much of an effect on her. _'She needs to find someone much better for her. Someone who will acknowledge her feelings, and will be there for her! Not someone who is still chasing after someone else...'_ Sakura doesn't like him in that way either, so Naruto was screwing himself over. Just what was he doing, wasting such a perfect opportunity in getting closer to such a lovely and beautiful woman such as Hinata herself?

But she knows what it's like to love someone who doesn't love you back.

* * *

 **Author's note:** I know, I know! This story is kind of depressing right now, I will admit that. But it won't stay that way for long, I promise. I'll be throwing Sasuke back in for the next chapter, so we'll get to see his reaction to Hinata's new hair.

 ***** To the person who left a review on here telling me to go and kill myself for shipping SasuHina, you're a coward for using a guest account. And if you're calling me a NaruSaku tard, then damn you didn't even look at my profile at all or read any of these chapters. I do **NOT** ship them together. I ship pairings like SasuSaku, NaruHina, NaruSasu, SasuHina...so you shouldn't assume what I ship and don't ship. Better hope you don't say that to the wrong person and literally cause someone to commit suicide, you pathetic accuse for a human being.*


	4. Chapter 4

It was another boring day here in Konoha for the Uchiha, and he wondered if he should even stay longer, or go back to traveling the world and discovering new sights and people. The second option is the one that was screaming at him right about now, and he wanted to take it! But then his thoughts immediately went back to his old team mates. He did tell them that he would stay a bit longer to visit. Oh why did he make such a promise to begin with? There was only so much you could do here. His best friend's birthday has already gone and passed, and there was no other events coming up any time soon for him to really care. Would they get mad at him for just up and leaving so suddenly? Probably. The last thing he wanted, was to deal with an angry Naruto and Sakura. The two together could be very annoying, especially when they're both scolding you for doing something stupid. Letting out a frustrated sigh, he slipped his sandals on and left the hotel.

It was almost noon, and Sasuke wasn't sure if it was too early to go over to their place. One still lived in a small apartment, that was filled with empty ramen cups and clothes strewn about everywhere...and the other in a house with her parents, who were way too nosy for his liking. Last time he stopped by to pay the pinkette a visit, her mother asked when they were going to get married. Just what was she telling her parents? They weren't going out! Sure she may be his closest friend who is a girl, but that was it. His feelings for her didn't run any deeper than that, and it wasn't being done on purpose. You can't just choose who you fall in love with. But what he can say, is that Sakura is an important friend to him. They just can't go beyond friendship is all, and hopefully she understood that. Although lately she has been less clingy, which was a good thing for him.

Maybe she has grown out of her fangirl stage after all.

Since he was never hungry right away when waking up, he skipped breakfast altogether. The smell of homemade rice balls being made caught his attention, and he went right over to the small stand. Behind it was an elderly lady who was moving at a rather slow pace, but that was fine, since she already had a bunch of them sitting on a platter on the table. Each one had been perfectly molded into a triangular shape, as they were placed into rows of three on a banana leaf. This meant they were being sold in sets of three, which was fine. He wanted a couple of them anyways to help satisfy his hunger. And these were one of his favorite things to eat on top of it.

Sasuke took out his wallet and handed the woman some cash. But instead of waiting to get his change back from her, he simply grabbed a set of the rice balls and walked off. It's not like he didn't make enough, because he definitely did. So he could afford to dish out money like that. He grabbed one and took a bite out of it, noticing just how much filling was in the middle of these things. Yup, this was enough to tide him over for a while, since he didn't have the patience to cook for himself. Either he ate out, or just whipped up something quick and easy that didn't require much work at all. So it was obvious that he ate out a lot, rather than sitting down and enjoying a home cooked meal. He hasn't had one of those since his family was alive.

Despite this, he still managed to eat as healthy as possible. Plus he doesn't eat any sweets, since he can't stand them. The taste is awful, and it doesn't go very well with his already sensitive teeth as it is. This is something that people can't comprehend, since they still try to give him things like chocolates, cookies, ice cream, and much more. Valentine's day is the worst for the Uchiha! He always ends up giving them away the day after to little children, since it would just be a waste to throw them in the trash. The smell of something sweet being made alone causes him to get a pounding headache. This is why he could never walk into a bakery shop, since he knows he wouldn't walk out of there without feeling sick to his stomach.

"Come on Hinata, let me give that bastard a piece of my mind!" Hearing this made him stop dead in his tracks. Not only was the voice very recognizable, but he also heard a name that stuck over anything else. He hasn't seen her since she ran off during Naruto's birthday party, and even he wondered if she was okay. From what he could tell, her fiancé was a real jerk who needed to be set straight. But that wasn't any of his business. They weren't even friends, so why should he care so much? Still, he was feeling curious now as to what her team mate was yelling about.

And so he hid behind a nearby building and peered over at the two. It was, of course, Kiba. He wore an angry expression on his face as he yelled at the Hyuga. _'What could have pissed him off to this point?'_ His dark eyes remained on the brunette though, since his hands were waving all over the place as he spoke, as if he couldn't contain all of his anger. Yup, this wasn't surprising for someone like him. Of course he would lose his cool that easily. "...?"

"K-Kiba-kun please! I don't want to make things worse!" Hinata shot back at him. It's bad enough that she got scolded by her father last night when she finally returned home... And now she was getting yelled at by her best friend! It wasn't really directed towards her. She gets that he is upset for what has happened to her...but he needed to calm down, since he is causing a scene. People were beginning to stare at them, which was making her feel very uncomfortable.

The brunette grabbed a strand of her violet-color hair, but held it gently as he stared right into her eyes. "Look what he has done to you! I've been biting my tongue over this marriage ever since you told me about it. You think I accept this?! Hell no! But what can someone like me do about it? I stand no chance against your family. I have absolutely no say in what you do with your life, but damn it Hinata! You just...how can you let this happen to you? How long did it take you to grow this out?!" He was getting angrier the longer this carried out.

Her gaze shifted away from him then, as she fidgeted nervously with her pointer fingers, pushing them together as she tried to think of what to say to all of that. And here she thought her team mates didn't care enough to say something about her engagement. "I-it's not like I let him into my bedroom. It happened while I was asleep. I woke up and found most of my hair on my pillow! How did I know he would sneak through my window at night? If so, then I would have locked it..." Now she has to be even more careful around her fiancé. Who knows what he will do next...

Sasuke looked over and saw what they were arguing about. Her waist-long hair was now up to her shoulders. He didn't notice it before, since he wasn't focused on either of their appearances. That just wasn't something he always looked for in a person. He could care less about them. But this seemed to spark his interest though. _'So her fiance snuck in during the night and chopped off her hair? Such a childish and immature thing to do to someone. What a coward...'_ Even though the two weren't close and have barely talked to each other, this still didn't sit well with him. How could you do that to someone who was so...sweet and innocent? Seriously, what has Hinata ever done to deserve this?

Kiba narrowed his eyes. "You are destroying your life, and for what? So that your family will accept you? At this point I'm not even sure if they love you. What father would give away his daughter to some old creep who abuses her? Physical or verbal, it's still not okay. You need to stop this before it's too late! As if I want to sit here and watch my best friend being beat down like this and controlled to this degree. You're better than this...and you deserve so much more..."

Hinata didn't say anything to that. What he all said was true. The abuse was only going to progress further and further, until what...until he kills her? "Growing up I was nothing but a disappointment to me father. He cast me aside when he realized just how weak I was, and didn't want anything to do with me anymore. Now he actually talks to me. Do you know what it's like to be disowned by your own father?" She asked, balling her hands up into fists as they hung at her sides.

"...I may not know what it's like." He began, taking a step forward. "But you shouldn't put yourself in this unhealthy position just so that he will notice you. He should already be there for you anyways. He doesn't care what happens to you. He just wants the pure bloodline to be passed down, even if it means marrying someone you don't love. Look, just think about what you're doing, okay? Don't rush into this. I gotta get going for my mission. When I come back, I better not see that ring on your finger." He lightly patted her on the head, before taking off for the village gates. _'And you better be alright when I see you next...'_

"..." Hinata just stood there and watched as he ran off. Then she looked down at the ring on her finger, wondering if it was going to stay there permanently, or not long at all. Why was all of this pressure being put onto her like this? It felt like her head was going to explode due to all of this stress! Everyone is expecting so much out of her. Well she can only do so much, for she is just one person. At least he was on her side in this, whereas before she felt so completely alone. Did Shino feel the same way? He probably did, since they're both close friends of hers. For now she will just keep her distance from Hiroshi and try to think of what to do.

Sasuke stepped out of hiding and slowly made his way towards her, casually biting into one of his rice balls as he pretended to not know a single thing. Neither one of them sensed his presence, so he could play along until she cracks. This wasn't supposed to be a game or anything. But he did wonder how long she was going to lie to him. "Are you lost?" He asked. Only because she was still standing in the middle of the street.

"Huh?" She whirled around to face the raven, blinking a few times as she took him in. What happened to her...she didn't blame him at all for it. Even as she looked at him, she didn't feel any anger or sadness, not even any regrets. It's not like he knew what would happen after touching her hair like that, so why put the blame on him? That would be very unfair of her to do. "I-I thought you would have already left..." She mumbled.

He raised a dark brow at her. "Oh? I never said when I was leaving..." That he was certain of, since he didn't know himself. It was just whenever he felt like it. He would rather be free, than to be tied down to a single village. However, he needed to cleanse his clan's name and to protect Konoha in place of his precious older brother.

Hinata's eyes widened when she realized this, and nervously smiled at him. "I-I'm sorry. Guess I shouldn't have assumed such a thing..." She spoke quietly. Now she felt embarrassed.

"...Your hair is shorter." He pointed out. Although this time he didn't bother reaching out to touch it. Obviously this happened to her because of him. Knowing how crazy her fiancé is, he did it after their little encounter at Naruto's party. _'Does she blame me for this? Who knew...'_ His gaze remained on her, waiting for the shy Hyuga to say something.

Her hand came up to touch the short locks. "Ah. I decided to change things up a bit, starting with my appearance. How does it look?" This was Uchiha Sasuke she was talking to... The very same guy who didn't compliment anyone. It just slipped right out of her mouth, and now it was too late to take it back.

Sasuke honestly had no idea how he felt about it. It's not like she was ugly with shorter hair. Yes he preferred for a woman to have it longer, but that didn't make them unattractive. It was just a trait he has always liked. His mother had long hair, and she was a beautiful woman! Both on the inside and outside. "It looks fine. Do you like it? You seem...hesitant about it."

"W-what do you mean by that? Of course I like it! Why wouldn't I?" Hinata really didn't need this right now. It would be really bad if she were to be caught talking to him of all people. She already feels terrified enough as it is coming back home to the compound...she doesn't need another reason to make her fears that much worse. She cannot speak to him anymore. "Now if you will excuse me." She tore her gaze away from him and held her head low while walking past him, trying to hurry off before someone sees them together. But when she felt something grab at her arm, she quickly looked back to see what was going on. "...-"

"Running away again? You're really good at that. Do you think I'm an idiot?" Sasuke tugged on her arm, yanking her towards him so that he could speak to her properly. He gets why she is scared, but she can't live in fear for the rest of her life. It'll be the end of her. His eyes were cold as they bore into her pale ones...but he wasn't upset with her. "What else is he going to do to you?" He finished off more quietly. Everyone expects him to be this heartless monster who has no feelings at all, when in fact he did. People underestimate him way too much!

"I-" But she didn't get the chance to say anything, since he cut her off right away.

"Family doesn't have to be blood-related, you know. You keep preaching about your father, but have you actually thought that maybe, just maybe, your friends are like family too? You always have your team mates to turn to, especially that Kiba guy..." He didn't care for him to be honest. They have never gotten along with each other. And he was one of the many people who still didn't want him here in the village.

Tears welled up in her eyes when he said that, and yanked her hand out of his hold. "B-but I'm just a burden... I always have been! I can't just crash out on their couch after getting kicked out of the compound. I would feel so bad for imposing on them and their families..."

Sasuke just shook his head, obviously disagreeing with what she just said. "Any real friend would never view you as nothing but a burden. You should give yourself more credit. I hear you took on Pein..." Sure she didn't defeat him, but she's alive! So she wasn't as weak as she made herself out to be.

Hinata thought back to that day, remembering just how painful it was being throwing up in the air like that, and then crashing down onto the ground. Even after being tossed around like a rag doll...she managed to live through it. _'Who else will be on me like this? What he's saying is correct. No matter what I do, I don't think it's ever good enough. This is how I have always been, and it's so hard to change that...'_

"...Here." He grabbed one of his rice balls and held it out for her to take. Yes he was pretty hungry, but right now she needed to be cheered up. Comforting people wasn't his forte to begin with...and he was only trying his best to be as helpful as he possibly could. If he just walks away from this, then it will slowly eat away at him.

"...?" It was odd seeing Sasuke being so nice and generous. All she heard from other people about him were terrible things. That he was a psychotic murderer who just wanted to destroy villages. But the person standing before her was the complete opposite of that. Even the expression he wore was much softer as he looked at her. People really could be pulled out of the darkness and be saved after all. This was his chance to redeem himself, and to prove to everyone that he has no bad intentions anymore. This is why you should never give up on someone, no matter how far they slip away. _'He should feel very lucky to have such amazing and determined friends...'_

Smiling a little, Hinata took the rice ball into her hands. It would be rude to deny the offer. Plus it did look really good! Once again she left the house without eating breakfast. It appears she hasn't been eating very much at all lately. Even her clothes were becoming Just thinking about Hiroshi made her want to throw up. "A-are you sure I can have this?" She asked, looking up at him with those large, milky-white eyes of hers.

Sasuke couldn't help but stare into them for a minute. His clan never thought much of the Hyuga's, since he viewed his own as being superior to them. They were nothing compared to the Uchiha's! But that didn't mean he hated them. And he had no reason to feel that way towards the one he was talking to at this very moment. As a matter of fact, has their eyes always been so...so beautiful? Was that even the word he should use to describe them? She might take it the wrong way if he compliments her on them. This is why he kept his mouth shut about it, deciding to just shrug it off for now. "If I wasn't sure, then I wouldn't have offered in the first place..." He simply stated.

"Right. Thank you, Sasuke..." This was very nice of him to do. To think, him of all people was actually sharing his food with her. _'I never thought to talk to him before. I always thought he would push me away, or give me an attitude. But now that I have talked to him a couple of times already, I can tell that he's so much different than I thought he was. I've...been underestimating him this entire time. Now I just feel really bad...'_ She thought, taking a small bite out of the rice cake. Suppose a lot of people have thought so poorly of the Uchiha as well. If only they would just give him a chance to prove them all wrong, then he wouldn't have to worry so much. This guy deserved so much better. She needs to try and get him an actual home here in Konoha, and not just a hotel to stay in whenever he comes back.

"You should be like this more often..." She suddenly said, that smile widening even more. Hinata didn't feel as uncomfortable as she did before, now that she has finally realized that this guy was an okay person. He has been trying to help her out, and was now giving her things to try and make her feel better. It was like they were friends.

Sasuke tilted his head to the side. "What do you mean by that?" He asked. Was he acting that strangely or something? Deciding to shrug it off, he sank his teeth into his last rice ball and looked around. It wasn't too busy, so they didn't have to worry about being in the way.

Hinata lightly patted him on the shoulder. "I meant as in being so nice and caring...not to mention generous. It appears you do have a good heart after all..." She murmured. Now whenever someone talks poorly of him, she will step in and try to change their view on him.

"..." He turned his head to the side, as if trying to hide the look on his face. What was that for? They didn't even know each other, and yet...she said such kind things about him. Maybe this is just the type of person she is. He has heard stuff about her that fit her description. _'Great. Is she going to become another fangirl just like the others? I do not need that right now...'_

"If I wasn't being put in this position of marrying someone so jealous...I'm certain we would have become great friends." Her voice was very quiet as she said this, as if too afraid for him to hear it all. "But I don't have any luck when it comes to love, so...maybe this is the best I can do. Besides, I don't look as pretty anymore. My long hair is gone..." It felt as though she was safe to open up to him, so she did exactly that. He just gave off that trusting, loyal vibe to him.

Sasuke couldn't help but roll his eyes at that one. "So you think women with shorter hair are less attractive?" That was a joke. Not ever woman had the same hair length, so where was she getting all of this?

The Hyuga's eyes closed. "I'm sorry if that's how it came out sounding. It's just a feature of mine that I really loved. It made me feel more feminine..." He probably thinks she's being really silly right now, and that was fine. But this is how she honestly felt. She was opening up to him, knowing he would probably disagree.

"Hn. You look the same as you did before. Besides, you can always let it grow back out. It won't take you long..." He checked the time on his watch, and saw that he was late in getting to Naruto's place. Knowing him, he was probably still sleeping...and in his boxers nonetheless. Some things just never change, do they? But this meant he was going to have to cut their conversation short. He wasn't a talkative person anyways. Was she going to be upset with this though? She seemed to enjoy talking to him. _'I don't want to hear that dobe complaining that I was late. Either way I'm screwed...'_ He thought with a sigh, reaching up to rub at his temples. It's not like he can hangout with everyone at once. Well, he could if he really wanted to! But he didn't like being in groups of people like that. His team mates alone were a handful to handle.

Hinata ate the last of her rice ball and ran a thumb along her lips, wiping away at anything that was left behind. "I-I should get going, before Hiroshi catches me talking to you. I'll...keep in mind the things you just said to me, along with what Kiba also said. I have a lot of thinking to do. I know I need to make a decision here soon, before it's too late..." It's just so hard being in this situation! But her team mates were like family to her. Maybe they really won't mind helping her out after all. Guess she should be thanking the Uchiha for more than just giving her some of his food. He may not be aware of it, but he really has helped her out a lot. It was nice having people like this on her side. And he's right...her hair will grow back out. At least he didn't think it was ugly. Wait, was she trying to impress him or something? "..."

Sasuke gave a slight nod. And before saying anything else to her, he casually turned around and walked off. There was nothing else to say, and doing the whole goodbye thing wasn't something that he was very good at. It was awkward for him, so that is why he chose to end things right there. _'It's up to her on what she does now. I cannot force her to leave that man. It shouldn't be any of my business anyways. We're not friends...'_ Although as that last sentence popped up into his mind, it was almost as if he regretted it. Why is that? It's weird, because no one else from his clan ever got close to any Hyuga member. They never gave each other a chance. Should it be this easy to talk to one of them like this? If her cousin was alive, surely he would step in and stop this altogether. But no, he wasn't here anymore. He was gone...

Now he was beginning to feel confused, just like her.

* * *

 **Author's note:** Is there anything you all would like to see happen next? I'm always up for suggestions. ^^


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